1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a unique arm support device in which the shoulder straps are designed to evenly distribute the weight of the person's arm evenly across both shoulders and not put a side load on the wearer's neck. This device also allows a patient, such as a stroke victim who has the use of only one arm and hand, to put this sling on and remove it without assistance and it works equally well for a right or left arm injury.
2. Prior Art
Prior art in the field of arm support includes many different forms of slings. Most of these slings do not distribute the weight of the arm and sometimes a cast equally on both shoulders. Typically they have a strap over the opposite shoulder from the injured or inoperative arm. These single strap devices tend to place an unwanted pressure against the side of the neck. For many wheel chair bound stroke patients with the need to wear a sling during all their waking hours, the standard sling can cause the head to be pulled over and down exacerbating their original problem.
There are several devices that have tried to solve this problem, one of which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,552 Iwuala 1995 wherein a sling with Humeral Stabilizer is disclosed. All though this device claims to have eliminated the side load to the neck it is a fairly complex mechanism with two straps, multiple strap fasteners and adjusters and fastens to a torso belt. The most significant problem with these type support devices is that they would be very difficult if not impossible for a person with the use of only one hand to put on or take off without assistance and will be relatively expensive to manufacture.
The second patented device that attempts to solve this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,488 Schrader 1992 wherein a basic pair of suspenders, crossed in the back and clipped on the waist band of a skirt or pair of slacks in both the front and back have adjustable length loops secured to the front of each strap. One adjustable length loop supports the hand or wrist of a patient while the second supports the lower arm. Again this device would be virtually impossible for a person with the use of only one arm to put on or take off with out assistance.